Bun slicer



R. E. ELROD BUN sLIcER Filed April 25, 1942 I5 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 31, 1944. i v R,.E ELROD 2,361,615

y BUN sLIc'ER Filed April 23, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arme/wma Oct. 31, 1944. R E. ELRQD y l2,361,615

BUN ASLIGER Filed Apr-i1 23, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 31, 1944 l UNITED PAT lllllrod,` Indianapiilis, to

This invention'relates` to means 4forr slicing buns andhas fora'primary object thefprovision of a simple vfstructre whereby bunsfor'rolls may. be` sliced on a quantityproducti'on basis krapidly and uniformly and deliveredready for handling 'or packing, with the two sections of the bun (top` and under sections) properly aligned, 'all withy a straightfs'mooth cut'between the sections;

Another 'primary object of theffinvention isV to provide means'for regulating the Vldepthfof'the out in the hun whereb'yfthe'uncutsection may serve asa hinge between 'the top'andbottom secf tions.. y n ,L j y A lfurtherobject of'v the invention -is to provide means lfor slicing','buns'offdiiferent diameters, `thicknesses, lengths and shapes; allby the same mechanism with va n iinirnum l'amountf of adjust# 'ment to accommodate vthat rnechv variations. "V 'f Y An important advantagel'of the invention is thatthe buns maybe sliced and delivered'from sin for s uch the vslicing mechanism without displacement of the sections createdlby the slicing/andjinost im'-, portantly, without causing any pernfianent 'dis-y tornen of the bunitselfj y, ,lndianfanolisiflndll ycorporation of. Indiana i n Application Apvri1;23,1942',7s`erla,1 No. 440,192y v v Y' I n (501mm.` (01."11464-72) eter'to carry .the-'upper- SideTof'the belt I in the plane indicatedlIheibeltl Hcontinus down around ythepulle'y I3 and thence under vthe table I IlY 'to'pass'around a pulley I4 ifromI which the belt then travels around an idler VApulley 'I5' and'back up and around theplley I2gfall in'a'continuous manner.y Thebe-lt II is'driven infanys'uitable manner, suchas by a 1notor""|6 v interconnected through any transmission device :with thep-ulley I3, such as bythebeltglflf. f Inzpractice, a variable speedV drive (not showin/Would ordinarily"be-pro"- vided between themotor `I-land? the pulley` I3 in order thatthe desired ratey of speed 'of the belt Il could'be obtained.' 1"n l '1I Spaced alongthe rtablefIIl a' distance from the feeding "endthereof V`v`and-secured 'along 'an edge of the table are apairofstan'dards lan'd I9, Figs. 1 andz, the standard 'I8 inthe present instance" being a rectanglarfbar and the 'standvformed to be supported transversely across'and above the belt II by these Standards I8 andfIS,` a

These `and many vothenobjects and jadvan.

ytages of the vinvention/will become lapparentr to l those versed in the 'artby theffo'llowing descrip@` tion of one particular form ofy thejinventionw'as illustrated in the'ac'comp'anying drawings, in which l' l I. ,y VFig. 1 Aisaview inside M evatio'n of a structure embodying theinvention'; 1. d Yl Fig. 2, a View invertialtransetse Section on a greatly enlarged scale onthe' line 2-*2 in Fig. 1; .Fiaaviewfinton plant' .Figl fl, a" viewA .in ,vertical transverse section' on agreany Yenlarged sceiefon the linen-4 in Fig; hand,

.j Fig. 5, a viewlin verticalftransverse section on theline 5-,5-inFig. 1.,.c

throughout the several'views inthedrawings.

vI3 is provided. toward thedelivery end.YA of the table, these pulleys hengmounted in thepresent instance to have their aies .disposed .transversely under the table I 03nd' to have sufficient diam-y thro'ughajdownturned leg/of theframe 2'll,"and a bolt 221 aslsingv through the s'tan'dard 'I9 "and through ythe same leg` ofthe fraine 20, 1'. A third .Standard 23 fixed trihetable" [0 extends d upwardly therefromv and alo g the A'iririersidle'of the Vframe 20 opposite the's ndard'fleand'aids in 'sillJporting' tne'franie by albolt extending thrmigh the ystandard y23 andfintogthe kframefZll.

:Theseus 2| and I 2,4 are fin a'icoinmo'nj axvisfabeut kwhich the frarne v2!! may rock by the `endadja- AcentA the'standardflll. r'I'hisstandard I9',is provided witha vertically'disposed vvslot 25 through whichth'exbolt y2 2Ninda`y 4pass asjthe lframe 20 is rocked upwardly and downwardly on the bolts v' itis to be notedeg indkiated'in" Figi 11, that the standard' `I8 is provided with afserieslof4 holes 2t4 thereuhrougnjthrough wnienthe'bom 2l may n be selectively passed in order; to provide a vari'- able `spacinglfroin the frame 20 from thevtop side of the. belt; II. ".:Ihestandard 23v is similarly provided with holesy 'through which; `the Aboltl y,24 may be selectively passed. if. l' Toward eachfend ofthe Hameln and there- Within are vmounted the belt pulleys 21. and28 the frame `2l! carrying'. bearings.throughwhichy axles Vof thesepulleyspa'ss; Means is` provided for variably spacing4 .apart these pulleys 2'!` and 28herein shownl as .consisting of .the screws 2,9, one: oneach. side, :to abut.bearing(.rnembers.4 A continuous belt 3031s carried,l around thesepulleys 21 and 28. On the axle of the pulley 21 is provided a sprocket 3| around which a chain 32 passes to extend around a sprocket 33 on the axle of the pulley I4, Fig. 1, whereby the pulley 21 and hence the belt 30 may be driven by the pulley I4 which is turned by the belt II.` Since the frame 2D is to be varied in position vertically in relation to the .top of the belt II, means is provided forr this variation by inserting an idler sprocket 34 against one side of the chain 32 in order to take up the slack of that chain when the frame 20 is in a lower position. This sprocket 34 is carried upon a rockable arm 35, the arm;

35 in the present .instance being `hinged to the standard I9, and a spring 36 is employed to pull the arm 35 in a direction urging the sprocket 34 against the chain to pull outwardly thereon and take up the slack. Should the frame be i raised from that position shown in Fig. 1, the arm will swing upwardly in opposition to the pull of the spring 36 and -hence allow the righthand side of the chain32` to approach a position parallelto the left-hand side of the chain.

In order to provide a means for ready lifting and lowering ofthe delivery end of the frame 20,

a screw-threaded post 31, Fig. 5, is rockably secured byits lower endtoV the delivery end of the frame 20 and carried upwardlyv freely through a bracket 38 that is. carried bythe standard I9. A nut 39 screw-threadedly engages the post 31 on the top side of the bracket 38 and is provided withan arm 40 vbyimeans of which the nut 39 may be revolved .around the post 31. The bolt 22 is adjusted to give sufficient' freedom in the slot 25 to permit lifting of the frame l2li! by the turning of-the nut 39 and to permit lowering of the frame 20 by lmeans of gravity when the nut 39 is turned in the reverse direction.

At one/side ofthe table I0 and therebelow is mounted a motor 4I to have its shaft vertically disposedand extending upwardly to carry a circular `cutting knife 42 thereon, herein shown as inthe form of va disc fixed to the shaft by means of a nut,l 43,- Fig. 4. In the form herein shown, the; shaft Aof-the motor 4I extends freely through a marginal portion of the table I 0. The shaft of the motel 4I is thus brought into yclose proximityk to the 4outer marginal edge of the conveyor belt Il, The diameter of the disc knife 42-is made to be sufciently great so that the dise will extend adistance laterallyl across and above the belt II equal toflat least the maximum depth of a cut to be made in any bun or roll designed for cutting. The 'disc knife 42 is providedkvwith means for adjusting its elevation in reference to the belts II and. 30, `the knife, Fig. 4, being shown in approximately the central plane between those two belts. This adjusting means in the present showing is provided in the mounting of the Amotor 4I. The motor 4I is provided-with a base 44 through which extend the bolts 45, in `turn extending through slots 46 provided in the motor support bracket 41 'in such manner that by loosening the ybolts '45, the motor 4I may be shifted. vertically along the bracket 41 to positionv the disc knife' 42 at the desired elevation. As indicated in Figz'4, this bracket 41 is secured to the under side of the table ID. l

ISince the above indicated vmounting of the motor 4I brings the shaft upwardly on the outer side of the belt II, a substantial portion of the disc knife'42 will extend laterally beyond the table IU. Therefore a'guard 48 is provided to encircle circumferentially around this outer portion of the knife`42 and also to cover over above and below.v -The guard 48 is secured.' to the ,and screw-threadedly engaging the table.

1 openings from which extend slots in order that the guard'may be readily removed to permit access to the knife' 42 such as is required for removing the knife for sharpening or replacement. The screws 49 are spaced apart.along the table I0 to permit the guard to be supported thereby after the heads of the screws have been entered through the holes, following which the guard-is pushed down to have the slotted portions extending from those holes engage around the screws 49. To regulate the depth of the cut into the bun or roll, an adjustable stop 50, herein shown as an elongated bar, is carried on two brackets 5I and 52, Fig. 3. Th'ese brackets 5I and 52 have outturned legs which rest on the top of the table It, and through which legs bolts extendthrough slotted portions thereof to havethumb or wing nuts 53 engaged thereon. .whereby `the brackets may be pushed over or retracted `from the belt II', `.thereby providing an adjustably obtained spacing between thatbar and the disc knife 42, it being understood that the bar 50, while having a vertical dimension sufficient to permit it to belinserted under the under side of the top belty30 and over the belt.II, this vertical dimension is sufficient to forma guiding surface against which the buns or rolls may slide along while being conveyed by the belts I I .and 30 during the cutting operation. The feeding end of the bar 5I) is preferably` provided with a wing 54. bent inwardly towardthatrgmargin of the belt farthest removed from the cutting edge of the knife r42 thereover, this wing being provided simply to'dire'ct buns or rolls carried on the belt I I inwardly from the edge of the belt into proper cutting positions. l, f

On .the outer edge of the table I0 is provided a guard rail 55 as means to prevent accidental pushing ofbuns or rolls oifof the edge of the table. The marginal portion of the table I0 between'this guard yrail 55 and the adjacent edge of the belt II is not of sufficient transverse' area to arrest travel of anybun or rollthatmight be on the beltII. At. the delivery'end of the guard where such buns or rolls. may have been overhanging that edge. Preferably this wing guard 56 carriesmeans foradjustably flxingt in position. Such means consists essentially of a rod 51 hingedly secured to the outer side of the guard 56 and slidingly carried through a guide 58 in turn mounted on a xe'd bracket .59 extending from the edge of the table I0. `A spring 60 encircles the rodv 51' between the guide 58 and the guard 56 as a means for normally tending to hold the guard 56 in a position' to have its outer end over the belt II. 'I'he guard 56 may,.however, be fixed imposition by means of a thumb screw 6I screw-threadedly entering the guide 58 to come into abutment with the rod 51 extending therethrough. I

In ythe present showing, an attachment is shown in operating position toA be used for slitting or slicing bunsL or rolls at anangle to the base or under side of the bun or roll. i This, in many communities, is particularly desirable where the foot long bun is sold to use the elongated style of sausage or other fllling. n. i

' This attachment'consist's essentially of an open L assists f showing, forty-iive degrees from' the vertical;

giving a total included angle therebetweenof ninety degrees. i The lower edges-of these plates VI2,"'I3 "arelspacedfapart a lsuilicientdistan'ce t0 .permit the bun or roll placed 'therebetweenjtol restby anunder edge against lthe-belt I I whereby the belt willpull ,thehun or roll along the plates Auntil the bun 'or roll is engaged by the ftop belt 3U; 1 While reference-has been above madeto the invention'being adapted "for 'use in slicing 'and cutting' both buns'and rolls, the 'term buriijwill be usedk hereinafter in ay collective sensetdin-f clude all' types and forms -of 'baking goods lende ing itseif tothe desired slicing operation; Itis to be understood that this attachmentis removed f .when it is desired that th 4-to 1th@ under side.' f

e goodsbe slicedpara'ljle'l l -'Assuming that theordinary round bun isto sliced,"such buns are placed,v one f'a'f-ter anotherk on the receiving end of thef-belt 1I"I`j(1eft-hand endrig, 3i witnthe Abeitin movement andthe `above indicated attachment including fthe plates -62 fand 631removed; These 'buns in succession will be carried "in the direction of the belt larrow toiward the belt 30 between the bar 50 and A`the guard wing 56, the bar I) having been previously 'adjusted inA relationf to the disc cutter -42 forthe desired depth of cut.- Immediately thebun-is :belt I'I'.4 The belt 30 travels at yapproximate'ly*'the same rate fofvspeed as thatofvthebelt II".` ISince the 'cutter disc is traveling to have its `periphery adjacent the bar 50 turning rin the same direction `as 'that of thetravel of the belt II, "the bun carried between the belt and thebelt Il will lbe tended to -be carried laterally against 'theba-r but since the bun islightly gripped between those two belts, there will be no throwing of the bun but only a gradual movement toward the *bar 5I)V against which the edge of the bun will slideas the belts carry the bun on past the cutter 42 during the slicing operation. In most instances,r

there will be a space left between the bar 50 and the cutter 42, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, so that the bun is not sliced entirely through 'but a hinge portion is left. The sliced bun is carried on beyond the cutter 42 between the belts 30 and I I, from between which .the bun emerges from under the belt 30 to be carried on by the-beltjII with the top and bottom sections of the bunlremaining in substantially perfect alignment without having been displaced. one section in relation to the other, although the normal tendency of the cutter 42 would be to throw the bun s ections on away from the cutter as the bun leaves that element. .As the buns emerge from under the belt 30 and are carried on therebeyond by the belt II, the operator may pick up the sliced buns and place them in suitable cartons or other devices for transporting the buns from place to place as may be desired.

It is to be noted that the spacing of the under l side of the belt 30 from the top side of the belt sfl-niay'b'e/varied from the ventrance between-those beltsfto the "delivery Yzone by `adjustment of the elevation 'of-inthe :delivery end of the 'beltr'sg througngtnesnuti:senin other words; this :beit f `Mii-'mayhem its/under iside slightly inclined jto have` alarger spacing 4at .its ventrance'end `from that `at its deliveryv end inrelation to the belt .I-I. Further itiis to be. noted :that 'this belt4 yIf'l 'is `supported `throughout its-length by a iboard or 'platform vf6`6i'thereunder so that,` yparticularly under fthe fb'elt'vf3`0, the belt iII does not tendto be pushed downwardly but isheld iin substantial straight alignment thereunder. Thisboard 66 is carried:v by 'the table LI0- to have its top side depressedfrom the l'evel of the topof the table I0 a' sufficient distance to permit the top side of the 'belt ,QI I to be in substantially the plane of the top of theta-ble lll.y "'f f i Byprovidingl the means for sloping the bltl30, the bun may enter between the two'belts with 'very `slight pressure exerted lon the vbun therebetween and then -be carried' acrossand on be yond the cutter' disc 4i.'V vwhile under a slightly greater pressure.' Itis to be pointed out, however,

that this pressure fonthe bun lmust be limited in .nature Iso. that the bun will not be unduly coinpressedf, otherwise rwhen the pressure is relieved,

the` cut .through the. bun will appearasf waved 'K surfaces rather than having'thecut surfacesin true'zplanes. Also it? is fdesired that the 'prese sure bev limited'in order that` the top browned surfaces fof ther buns be ynot crushed or left in a iilnal; distorted condition.

`Nows`hould a bun desired to be 'sliced at an g5 ang-le fromits side or upper surface, the attach mentabove described-consisting essentially ofthe 'angularlyfdisposed pla-tes 62, 63' is pla'cedinto L this trough-like `attachment to have the under sides of the `buns rest against `the plate 62to have at', thelwer corners or vedges thereof reston the 1 belt II to be' .conveyed alongkthe plates/thereby until the belt 30 may gripthe bunbetween it varid the runder beltIrI whereupon the bun will be carriedl on through'across the pathfof the'cutter disc sflz'twithout change in position. The bun will l, .only fright itself after it has been deliveredfrom the deliveryendfof-the belt 30. f 'While I have herein shownand' described'my invention in theorie particular form, it isobviou's vthat structural changesmay be employed without dep'arting'from vrthe spi-rit of the.' invention and Iftherefore do not 'desire Ito be limited r`rto that' precise form beyond the limitations as may be 'imposed bythe following claims. v Iclaim: i

1. In a baked goods Slicer, a conveyor belt; a rotarycutter having a portion thereof extending over the belt; a pressure belt above said cutter and conveyor belt; and means for causing the pressure belt to travel in the same direction-and substantially' at the same speed as that of the v lconveyor belt; and an open bottom trough over said conveyor -belt ahead of said pressure belt and said cutter; whereby baked goods such as buns may be placed in said trough to have a corner thereof extend through thetrough bottom tov rest on said conveyor belt to be moved along the trough thereby to carry the bun in its tilted position on'under said pressure belt to be gripped thereby against the conveyor belt and carried on past said cutterk while held in that tilted position. d d

2. In a baked goods slicer, a conveyor belt; a rotary cutter having a portion thereof extending over the belt; a pressure belt above said cutter and 'conveyor belt; 'and' means for causngthe pressure belt to travel in the same .direction and substantially at the same speed asthat of the conveyor belt; and an open. bottom trough -over said conveyor; belt ahead of said pressure belt and said cutter; whereby baked goodssuch as buns may be placed in said trough to have a.

corner thereof extend through the trough bottom to rest on said conveyor belt to be moved along the trough thereby to carry the Vbun in its tilted position on under said pressure belt to be gripped thereby against the conveyor belt and carriedon past said cutter while held i'n that tilted position; said trough comprisinga pair of plates forming the side walls thereof extending in the direction of travel of the belts and terminating immediately ahead of said pressure belt, said plates being fixed in position relative to both of said belts.

3. In a baked goods slicer, a conveyor belt; a rotary cutter having a portion thereof extending over the belt; a pressure belt above said cutter and conveyor belt; and means for causing the pressure belt to travel in the same direction and substantially at the same speed as thatof the conveyor belt; and an open bottom trough over said conveyor belt ahead of said pressurebelt and said cutter; whereby baked goods such as buns may be placed in said trough to have a corner thereof extend through the troughbottom to reston said conveyor belt to be moved along the trough thereby to carry the lbun in its tilted position on under said pressure belt to be gripped thereby against the conveyor'belt and carried on past said cutter while heldin that tilted position; said trough comprising a pair ofvplates forming the side walls thereof extending in the direction of travel of the'belts and terminating immediately ahead of said pressure belt, said plates being xed in position relative to both of said belts; a guard rail along one sidey of said conveyor belt; and means detachably supporting said trough from said rail. .t f 4. In a baked goods Slicer, a conveyor belt; a rotary cutter having a protion thereof extending over the belt; a pressure belt above said cutter andfconveyor belt; and means for causingthe pressure belt to travel in the same direction and substantially at the same speed as that of the conveyor belt; and an open bottom trough over said conveyor belt ahead of said pressure belt and said cutter; whereby baked goods such as buns may be placed in said trough to have -a corner,` thereof extend through the trough bottom to rest onv said conveyor beltto be moved along the trough thereby to carry the bun in its tilted positionfon under said pressure belt to be gripped thereby against the conveyor ybelt and carried on pastsaid cutter while held in that tilted position; said trough'comprising a pair of plates forming the sidewalls thereof extending in the direction of travel'of the belts and terminating immediately ahead; of said pressure belt, rsaid plates being fixed inposition vrelative to both of said belts; said trough being openv from its upper side whereby the baked goods may be dropped therein to fall, against the conveyor belt extending along thebottom thereof. f

5. In a baked goods slicer, a pair of conveyor belts having juxtaposed Aflights with surfaces spaced to carry said goods compressibly therebetween and being .movable in a common direction froman entrance position therebetween; a cutter extending between said flights; and a guide extending between said iiights, said guide having a goods supporting surface laterally tilted in relationv to the direction of travel of said flight surfaces to slope `laterally across and toward the faces of said flights to said entrancefposition; whereby goods on said guide surface will benpresented to said flights in laterally angularly disposed relation thereto and be carried on in that relation between said flights.

6. Inabaked goods slicer', a pair of conveyor belts having juxtaposed flights with surfaces spacedA to carry said goods compressibly therebetween and being movable in a common direction froman entrance position therebetween; a cutter guide having a second surface extending to said entrance position, said second surface extending from the first surface across saidlone flight face to serve as agoods abutment to limit lateral travel of the goods from said first surface across said flights-` n vRALPH E. ELROD.y 

